Kaiho Yusho is considered one of the three individualist master painters of the Momoyama era. He executed numerous byobu and fusama-e (sliding door panel paintings) for Kyoto's most prestigious Zen monasteries.

These byobu are noteworthy for their joining of patently Chinese subject matter (the aged pine) with Japanese imagery (morning glory) and themes (the seasons and human travel--the footbridge) in one composition.